Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal says Kalabakan has the potential to be Sabah’s food security powerhouse and a key trade gateway to Indonesia—if his party returns to power.

“Kalabakan has some of the most fertile land in Tawau. We identified nearly 30,000 hectares for food crops, not just hill paddy but vegetables and cash crops,” he said at a Ramadan event in Merotai, Tawau. 

Shafie said job creation, not cash handouts, is the real solution to economic growth.

“There is no use giving out aid if people have no jobs. If we invest in industries, people can earn salaries every month, not just once a year,” he said.

He stressed the need to boost Kalabakan’s infrastructure to attract investors, including better roads and ports to connect with Indonesia’s new capital, Nusantara.

“Kalabakan is in a strategic location. If we improve our ports, shipping routes from Australia and New Zealand can pass through here instead of the Strait of Malacca,” he said.

Shafie said Sabah must be competitive to retain investors.

“Investors need water, electricity, good roads, and a skilled workforce. If costs are too high—if rent, electricity, and water are expensive—businesses can’t survive,” he said.

He pointed to Sabah’s small but growing industrial sector, saying Warisan had already laid the groundwork.

“We started small. In Tawau, we set up a cooking oil plant, and now 40 people work there, earning RM2,000 to RM3,000 a month. That’s better than just giving out cash,” he said. – March 9, 2025